Erin from Coupon Cravings has a great list of 30 free apps to help you save money with your iPhone!  I’m just a wee bit jealous that I’m still iPhone-less (someday, someday), but I’m sure those of you lucky enough to have one will find some great apps to use.

Maybe a Springs Bargains iPhone app will be in the works someday!  For now, I’m just trying to get the mobile version of the site to work consistently!

Andrea just posted a link to this crazy article: 8 Reasons You Shouldn’t Use Coupons. Among them, you shouldn’t use coupons because it takes time (tell me something that saves or earns you money that doesn’t take time!), and you “have to” buy a newspaper.

What would you say in rebuttal to this article?

It’s here! The 3 Day Grocery University Sale has begun. You’ve seen the testimonials from Kate (the skeptic), Amy (she said she’d never use coupons), and Jill (experienced couponer who bumped up her savings).

Laura said it was amazing.  The host of the popular Frugal Friday meme said she learned a lot from Grocery University.

What are you waiting for?  Ah, yes – a smart shopper like you is waiting for a sale.  Well, here you go:

Today, Wednesday, only, Grocery University is on sale for $9.  Yes, nine dollars. We’re talking over 60% off!

You asked, and I finally listened: I’m excited to be offering a bonus Rock Bottom Price Database PDF with every purchase of Grocery University!  This 10-page PDF is an awesome guide to help you know what’s a good price, what’s an ok price, how often items go on sale, and just when during the year you can expect to find them on sale.  It’s the perfect supplement to the principles you’ll learn in the Grocery University audio series and workbook.

You’re going to love Grocery University, and the Rock Bottom Price Database is the icing on the cake.

But it’s a 3 Day Sale, right?  Yep, but it’s only $9 on Wednesday.  On Thursday, the price is $12, and on Friday, it’s $15.  Hurry and get in on the lowest price while there’s still time!

Go here to read lots more about Grocery University, see video testimonials, find answers to frequently asked questions, and purchase.  Remember, the $9 deal is only good on Wednesday!

It’s hot.

I love practically everything about Colorado Springs, with one exception: the lack of air conditioning in homes. Only around 1/3 of homes in Colorado Springs have AC, and I’m left wondering why. I grew up in Kansas, where the humidity and heat made AC a must from May through September.

While I wouldn’t find it necessary to run the AC quite so much here in the Springs, I have to admit that when inside temperatures creep to 80º almost every afternoon in the Springs, we all get pretty grouchy and unproductive.  I want my air conditioning!

But, since a $3,000 air conditioning installation isn’t in the budget this summer, here’s my Top 5 Ways To Keep Cool Without An Air Conditioner:

Cool the house at night, keep it closed during the day.

Extensive testing in our home has proved that in order to keep it at 80º or below, this is a must.  Our routine goes like this: around 5 PM, start checking the outside temperature.  As soon as outside is cooler than inside, open all the windows and use box fans to pull the cool air in and push the hot air out.

If you go to bed before the house cools to 70º or less, you’ll need to either leave the windows open all night, or set an alarm to get up and 5 AM and run the same routine.

Yes, we are a little fanatical about this but it’s better than basking in a 90º house all day.  If you’d like to contribute to our air conditioner fund, please let me know.

Bum off someone else’s AC.

You don’t have to bug your friends every afternoon.  Why not go grocery shopping and make absolutely, 100% sure that the gallon of milk you’re buying is the farthest date possible?

Of course, the grocery store isn’t the only place with an AC (just the only place with a walk-in refrigerator).  Hang out at the mall, the library, a coffee shop…

Clean out your freezer.

Oh yes, I did.  It’s got to be done anyhow, why not make sure to clean out your freezer and frig on the hottest day of the year?

Head to the basement.

Finished or not, the basement is likely the coolest part of your house.  For those of us that have laundry rooms in the basement, it’s a great time to get some laundry done.  Or, why not move the ironing board or computer downstairs for the summer?

I’m out of ideas.

It’s so hot today I can’t even think of any more ideas.  What are your top ways to keep cool without an air conditioner?

With strawberries on sale for 88¢ at Sunflower Market this week, just about everyone is thinking strawberries!  But, other than eating them fresh, or freezing them plain, what else do you make with strawberries?

Leave links to your favorite recipes (on your own site or someone else’s) below, or leave a comment with your favorite strawberry tip!

Just wanted to share this testimonial from a recent “graduate” of Grocery University:

I have been couponing successfully…but I haven’t been able to save measurable amounts. I was also obsessed and fixated on a good deal because I had this feeling it would never come around again.  It’s not very cost efficient to think this way!

My boys joke that they go to the store in our laundry room for cereal, pasta, etc…  and it was funny until I realized it was true and that my rate of spending was around the same as it always had been.  It wasn’t so funny anymore because I was stuck at the 46% point no matter what I did.

Thankfully, Grocery U came out at this time.  I have three shopping trips under my belt since Grocery U and I am excited to report that ALL three are over 80% in savings at an average of 83% and I didn’t skimp on anything to make the numbers work.  Wahoo!  – Jill

Thanks for sharing, Jill!  Testimonials are starting to roll in, and I’m excited to see that Grocery U is fulfilling its goal of helping even the most experienced coupon shopper save even more on their grocery budget.

You can read more about Grocery University here.  There will be a big sale coming up in July that you won’t want to miss!

For those of you that were lucky enough to be one of the first to purchase Grocery U, I just sent you an email with a pretty awesome rebate offer in exchange for your feedback – check your inbox!

A Special Offer for 5 People

I’ve created a special coupon code that’s only good for five uses.  Use coupon code SURPRISE to save an awesome amount on Grocery University!

You’ll have to add Grocery University to your cart and apply the coupon to see the discount, but I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Hurry, it’s only good for the first 5 people to use it!

This post is sticky – please scroll down for the newest posts.

I am beyond excited to announce that a project long in the making has finally come to fruition…

Grocery University is debuting today!

I’ve taught local couponing workshops for several years, and have had a desire to be able to share all that information and more with you, regardless of where you live.  Grocery University does just that in a two-hour, 18 chapter audio series with an accompaniment eBook.  Listen to it on your iPod, your computer, wherever it’s convenient for you!

It’s more than just how to coupon.  Coupons can save you a lot of money – but most “super-couponers” aren’t really spending less, they just have a closet full of free stuff.  Grocery University is designed to help you develop a comprehensive strategy to saving money on your groceries – not just how to get free stuff with coupons.

You’ll learn:

• How a simple change in menu planning can net big savings
• Build a stockpile without breaking your budget
• Where to find coupons, how to organize them, avoiding coupon fraud, and more
• How to know what’s a good deal and what’s not
• Using marketing gimmicks to your advantage
• …and much more!

From today through Monday at midnight, you can use coupon code SPRINGSBARGAINS to get the Grocery University course for $14.95. That’s $10 off the regular price!  Hurry in and get in on the grand opening special!

Go to Grocery University to read more and order!

Sharon emailed with a question about stockpiling:

Do you have any tips on how to organize items that I stock up on when there is a good deal so that I am sure to use them before they expire? Or is it a sign that I’m stocking up too much of an item if they are expiring before I get to them?

There’s a couple of things I would suggest Sharon consider when stocking up on items:

First, check the expiration dates on food before you stockpile it.  I’m personally not a huge “expiration date watcher” – we’ll eat non-perishables several months expired, no problem.  But, let’s say you stock up on an item and don’t intend to use it for six months.  If that product expires a month after you purchase it and you’re not going to use it for six months, that means the item will be “expired” by five months when you finally pull it out to use it.

So, it’s not a bad idea to check the food that you’re buying to make sure that it’s got an expiration date a ways out if you’re planning to store it for awhile.

Second, keep in mind that many sales come around every 3 months or so.  There are definitely once or twice a year sales, but most sales do typically come around about once per quarter.  So, on a lot of items, there’s no need to buy a year’s supply.

Third, make sure that you actually like the product you’re stockpiling.  There’s no need to take up room in your pantry if it’s a product you don’t even like!

And finally, consider how long it will take you to use up your stockpile.  If you go through a tube of toothpaste per month, and you have 24 tubes in your closet, you have a two year supply of toothpaste!  There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but you may want to reconsider buying more toothpaste for awhile, no matter how cheap it is.  Once we’re talking about having more than a one-year supply of something, you’re going to need to start watching expiration dates a little more closely.

Got any tips on stocking up on items and making sure they stay fresh?  Any horror stories about stockpiles gone bad?

Last week I was privileged to speak to a couple of classes of high school girls at Colorado Springs Christian School,  introducing them to some of the basics of saving money on groceries.  Or, at least attempting to do that with what I could squeeze into 50 minutes!

It was hard for me to know what to share that would stick with them when they’re on they’re own and actually purchasing their own groceries, but still hopefully be relevant to them today.  Fifty minutes is an extremely short amount of time for me to explain how the comprehensive strategy for couponing, but I talked fast (not usually a problem for me) and hopefully some of it makes sense.

Rebecca commented that the Cover Girl deal at King Soopers last week was a great way to introduce teen girls to couponing – she was right on about that!  I showed the class how to get four eyeshadows for less than $1 apiece, and was able to give away 8 eye shadows that I’d gotten for free previously.  So, if nothing else, maybe teen girls can save on makeup with coupons!

This week we were in Sunflower Market and my four year old said “I like those, Mommy!  Can we buy them?  Are they on sale?” which solicited a few chuckles from the other shoppers.  (If only they knew!)

But, I’m wondering – are you teaching your children the value of smart shopping? Do they think you’re crazy, or have you been able to communicate to them that waiting for something to go on sale can enable you to purchase things you wouldn’t be able to normally be able to afford?

Do you have any tips on training your kids, of any age, to be strategic shoppers?  I’d love to hear simple ways you’re showing your children the value of a dollar.

When I posted about my trip to the Asian market last weekend, Michelle asked if I’d share some of my favorite Asian recipes.   I’m often asked to share recipes, and I’d love to publish them all right here on this site, but since most of them are not my recipes and a lot of them are only available Cook’s Illustrated’s subscription-only website or magazine, I can’t really do that.

But, I can introduce you to my favorite recipe source and tell you how to download my favorites for free!  I’m a huge fan of Cook’s Illustrated and if you ask me for a recipe for just about anything, I’m about 75% likely to send you there.

Their website is subscription-only, but you can sign up for a 14-day free trial and download or print all the recipes you want.  Here’s some of our favorite Cook’s Illustrated recipes that I think you’ll enjoy, and a video of how to make Sichuan Green Beans, one of our favorites:

Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy with Crispy Noodle Cake – prompted Jeremy to spontaneously say “this was really good” which means it was really good.

Chinese Barbecued Pork

Fried Rice with Peas and Bean Sprouts – you will never go back to fried rice with “just” soy sauce after you try this recipe.

Stir-Fried Sichuan Green Beans – might be our all-time favorite!  Here’s a video with some helpful visuals:

Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli With Oyster Sauce

Spicy Sichuan Noodles—Dan Dan Mian - I really want this recipe to be awesome, but I’m still tweaking it. Tastes a little too much like peanut butter.

General Tso’s Chicken

And just in case you think we only eat Asian food around here…

Mexican Rice

Skillet Penne with Sausage and Spinach

Pot Roast with Root Vegetables – yes, it’s more work than throwing stuff in your crockpot and turning it on.  The extra 10 minutes of prep time will make it better than anything you ever remember your mom or grandma making.

Caesar Salad with Tofu Dressing – we do not make this with tofu… we live on the edge and use a raw egg.  Hands down the best dressing you’ll ever find.

Greek Salad

Rich and Creamy Cheesecake – in my opinion, desserts are not the strength of Cook’s Illustrated, but there are a few that are truly amazing, and this is one of them.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake – this cake doesn’t save well. Rats, that means you have to eat it all at once.

Cook’s Illustrated is kind of a geeky cook’s reference.  I love, love, love the detail they go into for all of their recipes, but I’ll be first to admit I don’t always follow them exactly.  But, they’ve got a method to their madness and if you want to make food that turns out, they’re it, hands down.

Are you a Cook’s Illustrated fan?  What are your favorite recipes from their resources?

There’s no need to freak out if you file your coupons by insert and forget to write the date on the cover – did you know that information is printed right on the insert every week?

It’s teeny-tiny print, and often right on the fold, but if you’re trying to figure out what date a coupon insert came from, check the outside cover of the insert – on the binding you’ll find the insert date and a list of the newspapers it came in.

If you file by insert, it’s probably still easier to write the date on the cover, since the printed date is so small.  But if you ever forget, or someone gives you old inserts, just check on the edge!

My sewing abilities leave, well, a little to be desired – but I’ve figured out a couple of ways to repurpose clothing to feed my desire for cute aprons while both spending and sewing little.  Watch and see!

Michelle asked:

I bought several of the whole fryer chickens on sale at Albertson’s last week, and I need some help with them! Can I freeze them in the packaging they came in? What is the easiest way to cook them?

When I buy whole chickens, I usually throw them in the freezer without doing anything.  Not really sure if that’s proper, but it’s what I do!  And as for cooking, well, I usually throw it in a pot and cook it on top of the stove for an hour or two, then shred and use for enchiladas, barbecue chicken sandwiches, etc.

So yeah.  We’re real exciting when it comes to whole chickens.  What do you do when you’re able to stock up on whole chickens for cheap?  Do you do something special to freeze or thaw?  What’s your favorite thing to make?

Earlier this week on the Wall, Sarah asked this question:

Do you have to print your coupons with color ink or is black and white OK?

A few of us responded on the Wall, but I wanted to highlight Sarah’s question and ask for additional input. There’s definitely no requirement to print coupons in color – in fact, many coupons now say “this coupon may appear in color or black and white”.  So, generally you’ll want to save the more expensive color ink and just print in black and white.

However, since many stores are leery of accepting printable coupons because there are scammers out there who will photocopy the coupons, I wonder if any of you have had better experiences using printable coupons if you print in color?

Seems like a reader once said they had better experiences when they printed on cardstock rather than plain paper – again, because stores are less-likely to think that it’s copied.

Love to hear your thoughts in the comments!  Remember, we’re talking about whether or not the method of printing affects stores’ willingness to accept them – not discussing ways to manipulate your printer to print more coupons or anything fraudulent like that.

Some other couponing FAQ posts you  may find helpful:

• Printing coupons on Windows 7
• How to tell if a printable coupon is legitimate
• Help printing “Bricks” printable coupons

With all the frustrations about stores have contradicting, changing, and extreme coupon policies lately, I’ve been thinking: what if they refused to accept coupons altogether?  How would your life change?  How would it affect your budget?  Would it affect store’s profits, positively or negatively?

For my family, not being able to use coupons would mean buying more off-brands.  Our pantry is full of mostly name-brand items because I can almost always get them cheaper with coupons and the right sale.  If I can no longer use a coupon to get French’s mustard for 25¢, then of course I’ll buy the off-brand when it goes on sale for 50¢ instead of paying $1 for the name brand.

It would mean an increase in our weekly grocery budget, especially in regards to non-food items like diapers.  I don’t think it would be anything drastic like a doubling of our budget because…

I would make more items from scratch rather than buying convenience foods.  We’d probably eat more oatmeal and pancakes for breakfast rather than cereal, because I wouldn’t be able to get cereal for super cheap.  I’d cook dried beans instead of buying canned.  I might even consider making my own laundry detergent!  Of course, if there weren’t coupons, I would have a great deal more time to spend making things from scratch as about half of the blog posts I write have to do with coupons!

We would probably get a membership to Sam’s Club or Costco.  I can usually beat Sam’s price on almost anything by waiting for the right sale paired with a coupon, but if coupons were no longer available, a Sam’s membership would become quite attractive to me.

From the other perspective, if stores refused to accept coupons, I think manufacturers would be more than upset.  Coupons are a major way for companies to convince people to try their products, and if a chain refused to accept those coupons I’m pretty sure there would be some major backlash.

Stores like Walmart would see those once-loyal shoppers return – many of us have discovered we can get better prices and often higher quality by shopping at “grocery” stores, but if those stores won’t accept coupons, those grocers may find themselves losing business from the people who shop at their stores just because they double coupons.

Newspaper subscriptions would decline due to couponers not needing to subscribe for the coupons anymore.

What do you think?  How would your life change if you couldn’t use coupons anymore?  How do you think it would affect your family, manufacturers, and grocery stores?